# Foreward or Foreword **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 31, 2001, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787 "2001-10-31T20:57:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/1 "2001-10-31T20:57:48Z")
I have seen this used both ways. Are both correct? Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/2 "2001-10-31T20:58:59Z")
Depends on what you are talking about, doesn’t it. You walk foreward. You read a foreword. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/3 "2001-10-31T21:00:33Z")
Complete agreement. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/4 "2001-10-31T21:02:13Z")
Oops. Didn’t read that closely enough. Foreward is not a word. _Forward_ is, and it’s the direction opposite backward. A _foreword_ consists of what is said (“word”) at the front (“fore”) of a longer work. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/5 "2001-10-31T21:08:46Z")
Perhaps I need to _clarify_ that I have seen _ **Foreward** _ used in the place of _ **Foreword** _ at the **beginning** of a **book**? 😉 Q ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/6 "2001-10-31T21:28:52Z")
Then you, my friend, have seen a typo. 🙂 Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/7 "2001-10-31T21:46:30Z")
… the same **typo** in numerous books. The question stands. Q ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/8 "2001-10-31T21:49:50Z")
Go to [http://www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com) Look up “foreward” Did it find it? Now look up “foreword” (it’s the first suggested option when I look up “foreward”) Still have a question? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/9 "2001-10-31T22:05:27Z")
If I put put an entire city on the march, with each alderman leading his constituency, wouldn’t the first one be the foreward? Or would that be what I’d call when playing golf right behind the Beaver’s dad? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/10 "2001-10-31T22:29:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Quasimodem \* > **… the same typo in numerous books. The question stands.** It’s not actually a typo. Rather it’s a gross misunderstanding of the word that has been mistakenly perpetuated. You have seen it, and I have seen it, but it is not correct. Not one bit. It is wrong, wrong, wrong. The correct term for this particular item of front matter is FOREWORD. Not “forward,” “foreward,” or any other orthographic abomination. **KneadToKnow** is correct (well, except that first post 😉 ). ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/11 "2001-11-01T00:19:34Z")
Should have posted to your attention to begin with. 😉 Quasi ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/12 "2001-11-01T02:05:09Z")
Sorry to have been so useless to you, **Quasimodem**. I’ll avoid wasting your time in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/13 "2001-11-01T03:48:01Z")
Um, thanks, **Quasi,** but I’m not the only grammar person here. **KneadToKnow** did give you the correct answer long before I showed up. **KTK** ’s suggestion to check the dictionary would have answered your question right off. I appreciate your confidence in me, but **KTK** ’s no slouch! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/14 "2001-11-01T04:15:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scarlett67 \* > \*\*Um, thanks, **Quasi,** but I’m not the only grammar person here. **KneadToKnow** did give you the correct answer long before I showed up. **KTK** ’s suggestion to check the dictionary would have answered your question right off. > > I appreciate your confidence in me, but **KTK** ’s no slouch! \*\* Not necessarily, if he’d gone to [www.dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com) he would have found: foreward \Fore"ward`, n. The van; the front. [Obs.] My foreward shall be drawn out all in length, Consisting equally of horse and foot. --Shak. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/15 "2001-11-01T04:22:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scarlett67 \* > \*\* > I appreciate your confidence in me, but **KTK** ’s no slouch! \*\* My question (and I wish I had been a little clearer at the outset) was had it become an accepted practice to purposely misspell the word in order to make a play on words I can and did look up the word, and lo and behold, it doesn’t appear in m-w. I will try to be clearer with my posts in the future. I agree that you are no slouch KTK, which is why I thought you would have seen the meaning of the OP right away. Anyway, it was **my** post and I take full responsibility for not having thought it through and covered all the bases. Q ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/16 "2001-11-01T04:23:11Z")
cover **ing** all the bases! 😉 Q ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/17 "2001-11-01T04:34:18Z")
I know I’m not Scarlett so you probably don’t want to read my opinion 😉 but one of the vital skills as a copyeditor or proofreader is being able to do research. You don’t need to know it but you need to know where to look for the right info. And I don’t think asking on a messageboard is good research. A good dictionary is your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/18 "2001-11-01T11:27:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Quasimodem \* > cover **ing** all the bases! 😉 > > Q I disagree. “Anyway, it was my post and I take full responsibility for not having thought it through and [for not having] cover **ed** all the bases.” ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/19 "2001-11-01T14:38:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Quasimodem \* > \*\*My question (and I wish I had been a little clearer at the outset) was had it become an accepted practice to purposely misspell the word in order to make a play on words > > _ **From the OP:** _ > I have seen this used both ways. Are both correct?\*\* Hard to see how these are the same question. Had you actually asked the first question, I would have observed that any book serious enough to have a foreword would be damaging its credibility by attempting such a rather lame and incomprehensible “play on words.” > [@](#): > > [ **Anyway, it was my post and I take full responsibility for not having thought it through and covered all the bases.** Understood and appreciated. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by don’t ask_ > **Not necessarily, if he’d gone to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) he would have found:** But **KTK** didn’t point him to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com), but rather to [m-w.com](http://m-w.com). [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) is operated by Lexico LLC, a company formed in 1995 that offers online reference services. I’ve never heard of them. (And can we consider an obsolete term from Shakespeare, who never spelled his own name the same way twice, helpful in this discussion?) OTOH, [m-w.com](http://m-w.com) is the online arm of Merriam-Webster, whose dictionaries are the direct descendants of Noah Webster’s work and and are the primary references for much of the book publishing industry. All dictionaries are not created equal. See what **Primaflora** said: “A good dictionary is your friend.” A bad dictionary can lead you astray. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787/20 "2001-11-01T14:39:12Z")
I meant, of course, that you walk foreward on a boat. You know, as opposed to aftward. 😃 Anyway, it is a leap to assume that an author using the word “foreward” in a book, where the foreword appears, is making a grammatical error. He may in fact be making a pun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreward-or-foreword/90787.md?page=2)